Lumber is sold in lineal feet—the total length of the lumber you are buying—or in board feet. Here at Withers Lumber, we normally deal in board feet, particularly on large orders, but we work in lineal feet equally well. A board foot is 12 inches long by 12 inches wide by 1 inch thick. A 2x6 that is 1 foot long also equals 1 board foot (think of the 1x12x12 board folded in half). For many homeowner projects, lineal feet are the easiest way to calculate the amount of lumber you needs. For example, if you're building a deck out of 2x6 lumber, you would use your plans to first measure the total length of decking boards you need—or just call us or come into one of our local stores and we'll help you figure it out. Then we'll calculate a price per foot on the species of lumber, such as 2x6 construction heart redwood, you want to use for your deck or other project. If you are not experienced in buying lumber or engineered wood, remember that all lumber is identified by its nominal size, which is different than the actual size. As an example, a 2x4 is actually 1.5 inches thick by 3.5 inches wide. A 2x8 is actually 1.5 inches thick by 7.25 inches wide. If this sounds complicated and overwhelming, don't worry. Withers Lumber is here to help and make sure you have the right amount of the right materials you need from start to finish!
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